On the Loose by Renny Russell, Terry Russell Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of On the Loose
Book Review: A timeless classic of man and wilderness
Summary: 5 Stars
In 1969, to celebrate our recent graduation from high school, my best friend and I took a backpacking trip in the wilderness area of northern Yosemite National Park. I was a seasoned backpacker by then, at 18, and he was a neophyte. Our first night as we lay under the magnificent canopy of the Milky Way, I explained to him how the sweat, grit, and toil of the trail recharged me. The panoramic vistas, the roll of thunder in the canyons, the flora and fauna, the clean air and quiet - all unavailable to the motorized tourist - were only some of the rewards for the labor. Blisters from our low-tech footwear, cold knees from the ice-water stream crossings, partially cooked food from wet-wood campfires at high altitude, hard cold leather boots after a chilly night - they were all worth it for the experience of wilderness. Later that year, my friend presented me with my copy of On the Loose. I found within its pages an affinity for my wilderness experiences that were hard to communicate to my peers.
On the Loose is a unique book. Over the last four decades, I have returned to it many times, and I can say that it ages very well. Within its covers the wilderness experience is portrayed with all of the grit and discomfort - along with the pastel beauty of the photographs. These elements of the wilderness are timeless, so while the book contains a picture chronicle of two brothers and their travels in the 1960s, its essence is the never-changing spirit of the wilderness experience. At the same time it is a memorial to the wondrous wilderness that has been lost to "progress." From these pages, the reader can get a sense of the wilderness - how small and inconsequential man is, yet, at the same time, the capacity of man to destroy.
Forty years later, I remain a passionate wilderness hiker. I still consider that the Russell brothers were, and are, my kindred spirits. On the Loose is inspirational, yes, life-changing perhaps, to some - but still a classic portrayal of the wilderness experience. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any dedicated wilderness backpacker, hiker, rafter, whatever, as well as to those who wish they could.
Book Review: Changed My Life
Summary: 5 Stars
It's quite rare when you can honestly say that a book changed your life but after having read "On The Loose" during my sophmore year at college in 1969, I became an ardent enviromentalist. I also purposed to hike the Appalachian Trail as a result of reading it. Eight years later I fulfilled that promise proudly carrying "On The Loose" in my backpack the entire way.
I feel so fortunate to still have my original copy ... it's stained from many days of being with me on various hikes all over the United States but I suspect I'll want to be buried with it!
I am so happy to see it re-published. I just hope my grandchildren will someday read it and be moved as I was so many, many years ago.
The best books are often the simplest - this is truly a masterpiece. Anyone who cares about the environment or just plain loves going for a hike needs to read it and "feel the eternal connection".
Book Review: Changed my life...
Summary: 5 Stars
I was about to give my original copy of this book to my son, thinking it was out of print. I wanted to share the insights and the beauty of this book as a way of sharing my love of all places wild. Something made me look to see if copies were still available and was thrilled when I saw that it was back in print for a new generation to experience. Even though Glen Canyon is "gone", and many of the places these boys experienced are covered (or nearly covered) with masses of humanity, there is still the spirit of this book that lives on in the places that are left. I first read this book in high school and it definitely had a huge impact on my life. I read it, and reread it so many times that it became a part of who I am. One of my favorite quotes in the book was by Steve McQueen; "I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth". That pretty much describes me to this day! If you have any love at all for wild places, read this book. It's beautiful, and it will reach places inside of you that have been dormant, just waiting for the right catalyst to bring them alive.Book Review: Desert Island book...
Summary: 5 Stars
If I had to choose 10 books that I would bring with me to a desert island, this would be one of them.Book Review: Golden and important
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a treasure...golden and important. It is a primer of sorts for living a good and authentic and adventurous life...the bible with a small b for so many of my friends who discovered at some point how big the world is...and how much we can experience if we widen our perspective. "Take shelter under the cloud...while others flee to carts and sheds" I probably am misquoting from memory but there are so many great quotes in this small but vital book. One of my favorites for so many reasons...to be shared with friends and family.